Truck body assembly and methods of making and using same

ABSTRACT

An assembly for utility truck bodies having metal and/or composite reinforcement(s) and/or foam reinforcements and/or honeycomb reinforcement/ and/or wood reinforcements encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floor structure of the truck bed assembly or other composite floor structure with attachable components and junctions, e.g., sidepack(s), and methods of making the same are provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/012,025, filed Jun. 13, 2014, incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to utility trucks, and more particularly,to an assembly for utility truck bodies and/or truck beds.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally, the prior art contains truck beds or bodies for use withutility trucks. Further, truck bed liners generally are known to beformed from thermoplastic materials. Truck bed modular components arealso known, including a truck bed, trailer, cargo box, and backend.Modular components may be connected to one another by known flexible orremovable connectors, such as hinges, fasteners, bolts, and nuts.Representative examples of relevant prior art US patent documentsinclude the following:

U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,385 for Corrosion-resistant body for utility vehicleby inventor Boyer filed Apr. 9, 2004 and issued Oct. 18, 2005 describesa corrosion-resistant utility body comprising a pair of body sidestorage compartment units adapted to be mounted along rear side portionsof a truck chassis and thus form a wheel well; the storage compartmentunits are formed from metal walls having side openings at the outside,an outer face plate fastened to outer surfaces of the storagecompartment assembly and door assemblies connected; weld-free utilitybody is disclosed because of the use of swage-type fasteners.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,732 for Trailer utility box by inventor Bernartfiled Jun. 9, 2009 and issued Aug. 14, 2012 discloses a modular storagesystem for storing items on a trailer having a plurality of containersconnected to the inside or outside railing of the trailer, at least oneof the containers positioned over a wheel of the trailer and include awheel well for housing and protecting the wheel; the utility box may besecured with fasteners, such as bolts, screws, nuts, welds, adhesivesand the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,532 for Truck body hinge assembly by inventorMcNally filed Jun. 27, 2003 and issued Sep. 7, 2004 discloses a modular,living hinge for the door of a utility truck box. The hinge assembly ismounted inside the utility body of the truck box.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,350,273 for Vehicle body hinge by inventor Skipper filedOct. 7, 2005 and issued Apr. 1, 2008 is directed to a not-living truckbody door hinge

U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,885 for Adjustable shelving and storage system forvehicle by inventors Steiger, et al. filed Sep. 28, 2005 and issued Aug.31, 2010 discusses an adjustable storage system with one or moreadjustable storage units, which generally are polymer material shelvingpanels with supporting means integral to the panel; polymer materialshelves and drawers may be disposed between the panel supporting means.Storage units may be added by adding additional panels; a back panel maybe held in position by any suitable means but not limited to fasteners,clips, bolts, rivets, pop rivets, and the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,948 for System for shelf mounting in mobile truckbody by inventors Redman and Bauer filed Nov. 22, 2006 and issued Nov.2, 2010 discloses a system for mounting adjustable shelves in a mobiletruck body application, including integrated attachment means to receivea shelving panel for affixing thereto; the shelving panels contain atleast two slots to receive a fastener, and likewise, the integratedattachment means contain at least two slots corresponding to the slotsof the shelving panel to receive the same fastener.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,082,698 for Modular enclosure for utility trailers andpickup trucks by inventor Drake filed Feb. 26, 2010 and issued Dec. 27,2011 is directed to a light weight, modular enclosure, mounted on autility trailer or pickup truck, including foam-encapsulated panels andcorners; pieces engage via key pins and key sockets.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,117,972 for Kit and shelving system to store work toolsby inventors Winget et al. filed Jul. 9, 2008 and issued Feb. 21, 2012discusses a shelving system for storing work tools and equipment in amotor vehicle. Each of the shelves includes a reinforced composite panelof the cellular core sandwich-type.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,371,785 filed Jun. 1, 2007 and issued Feb. 12, 2013 andU.S. Pat. No. 8,696,278 filed Jan. 3, 2013 and issued Apr. 15, 2014 bothfor Rivet nut and rivet bolt and combination by inventors Babej, et al.are directed to a rivet nut with a base part and cylindrical rivetsection.

The utility truck and/or truck bed prior art is generally known toprovide thermoformed plastic components in the prior art; representativeexamples of relevant prior art US patent documents include thefollowing:

U.S. Pat. No. 7,157,034 for Twin-sheet thermoforming process byinventors Bristow, et al. filed Mar. 15, 2004 and issued Jan. 2, 2007discloses a twin-sheet thermoforming process for the manufacture ofvehicle headliners wherein the first and second sheet of superlitematerial are mounted into frames, the frames transfer the sheets into anoven where they are heated to a desired temperature using infrared (IR);the first sheet is combined with a cover-stock material usingcompression molding forming a covered first headliner part, which istransferred to a second mold station; the second sheet is heated andtransferred to the oven where it is vacuum-formed on the upper halfmold; the upper and lower mold halves are pressed together using fusingand sealing into a unified part; the superlite material is a sheet oflow-pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised ofpolypropylene and long chopped glass fibers.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,534 for Poly-bilt truck by inventor Dean filed Jan.30, 2001 and issued May 28, 2002 describes a commercial truck bodyformulated of a co-polymer material with certain strategic corners ofco-polymer material being formed by a single sheet of copolymer bentinto predetermined angle and extrusion welded on the interior portion ofthe corner; other junctions are formed using traditional fusion, buttand other joint techniques; a liquid storage tank by be integrallyformed with the body.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,989 for Twin sheet pressure formed pallet byinventor Hagerty filed Jan. 5, 2001 and issued May 21, 2002 describes apallet formed of a pair of thermoplastic sheets molded and fusedtogether, wherein the sheets have configurations to impart stiffness andhigh strength, and the ability of pallets to be stacked on full pallets;the molded configurations enable the sheets to be fused at a pluralityof planes including mutually perpendicular planes for high strengthunion of the sheets; the sheets are made of thermoplastic material withupper and lower sheets on shaped aluminum tools to form the palletthrough application of heat, vacuum, and/or pressure.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,278 for Twin sheet pallet by inventor Shuert filedSep. 28, 1984 and issued Aug. 19, 1986 discloses a twin sheet plasticsheet with no core.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,364 for Pull out drawer system for vehicles andtrailers by inventor Darbishire filed Feb. 17, 2000 and issued Dec. 11,2001 is directed to a pull out drawer system for trailers and vehiclesincluding a stationary mounting frame; the pull out drawer can bemounted over a wheel well. The drawers and stationary and movable framefoundations can be made of metal, such as aluminum, plastic, or wood.The preferable form includes embodiments of glass fiber reinforcedresins, plastics, such as polyolefins, or wood. The invented system issuitable for the floor of a pickup truck bed, vehicle, or trailer.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,194 for Hard truck bed cover by inventors Muirheadand Buckingham filed May 15, 2000 and issued Jan. 22, 2002 discusses afiber reinforced plastic cover including a top surface comprising afirst layer of layup fiberglass, a paper honeycomb reinforcing member, asecond layer of layup fiberglass, and rail inserts between the plasticlayers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,839 for Door or lid for a motor vehicle byinventors Gferrer and Hausberger filed Aug. 3, 1999 and issued Apr. 8,2003 discusses a door of a motor vehicle comprising an inner and outerwall of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic surrounding a core material thatis a metallic or polymer foam/honeycomb structure or light wood.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,525 for a load bearing floor by inventor Preislerfiled Oct. 30, 2001 and issued Jan. 18, 2005 discloses a compositevehicle load floor of the sandwich type having a cell core; the floorcomprises reinforced thermoplastic skins surrounding a core of honeycombpolyolefin.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,815 for Plastics-covered metal plate for car byinventors Watanabe, et al. filed Feb. 9, 2001 and issued Jul. 5, 2005 isdirected to a metal plate wherein one or both sides of the plate arecovered by a thermoplastic resin, such as polyolefin and others.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,618,075 for Hybrid truck bed liner by inventors Boddieand Morgan filed Jul. 17, 2008 and issued Nov. 17, 2009 discloses amethod to protect a vehicle wear surface with a plurality of linersections, wherein each liner section comprises a resilient layer and afabric layer, which forms a water-tight seal that comprises angledsurface edges, an overlapping joint, or combinations thereof. Thevehicle wear surface comprises a pickup truck bed or storagecompartment; the resilient layer comprises a polyolefin; and the fabriclayer comprises natural, metal, or synthetic fibers.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,397,650 for Reinforced hollow panel and method of makingb inventor Seger filed Jan. 20, 2010 and issued Mar. 19, 2013 isdirected to a hollow upper deck panel for a plastic pallet has a smoothsolid top surface and is made by thermoforming heated upper and lowertwin sheets of thermoplastics material.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,511,742 for Automobile component made of plastic byinventors Legler, et al. filed Jul. 6, 2009 and issued Aug. 20, 2013 isdirected to a vehicle component made of plastic with at least onesupporting layer and at least one outer skin. The supporting layerconsists of a thermoset, a honeycomb layer or a foam layer of plastic ormetal, and a glass fiber mat. The outer skin is preferably athermosetting plastic.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,550,544 for Vehicle body by inventor Auer filed Feb. 2,2010 and issued Oct. 8, 2013 discusses a vehicle body comprising aninner shell, an outer shell, a floor plate, and a chassis, wherein theinner shell, outer shell, and floor plate are directly or indirectlyinterconnected. When connected, this compartment is independentlyfastened to the chassis. The inner shell and outer shell is made of along fiber reinforced thermoplastic.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,690,228 for Load bearing panel assembly by inventorsMarchesano and Saur filed Jan. 31, 2013 and issued Apr. 8, 2014 isdirected to a panel assembly including at least one reinforcing assemblyof a high strength material, such as dual-phase steel; the panelassembly may be used for a vehicle floor. The appearance surface of thepanel may include a thermoplastic olefin, and the reinforcing assemblyis inserted into the mold forming the panel assembly.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,764,089, 8,795,807, 8,808,827, 8,808,828, 8,808,829,8,808,830, 8,808,831, 8,808,833, 8,808,834, and 8,859,074 by inventorsPreisler and Heikkila filed between Nov. 27, 2012 and Feb. 8, 2013 andissued between Jul. 1, 2014 and Oct. 14, 2014 disclose acompression-molded composite with panel first and second skins and acore positioned between the skins, wherein the skins arefiber-reinforced thermoplastics and the core is thermoplastic, cellular,or honeycomb structure; the thermoplastic is mainly polyolefin.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,844,227 by inventor Ciuperca filed Mar. 15, 2013 andissued Sep. 30, 2014 discloses a reinforcing insert consisting offiberglass or aluminum.

US Patent No. 20100119768 by inventors Simon and Robinson filed Mar. 24,2008 and issued May 13, 2010 is directed to a core product made ofthermoformable material, preferably olefinic material, and formed by atleast thermoforming Disclosed are thermoplastic honeycomb cores andhoneycomb cores faced with fiber-reinforced resin; honeycomb cores areideal for use as a truck or trailer floor.

Aluminum or metal reinforcement is generally known in the utility truckand/or truck bed prior art; representative examples include thefollowing:

U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,532 for Ultrathin structural panel with rigid insertby inventor Shoemann filed Nov. 12, 2002 issued Jun. 27, 2006 disclosingan ultrathin covered structural panel including a panel body made fromlightweight moldable material and including one or more rigidhigh-strength inserts in the interior of the panel body, wherein theinserts are placed into the cavity of a mold that has the shape of astructural panel and a thickness of not more than about 20 mm; alightweight moldable material is introduced into the mold cavity isallowed to harden to form the structural panel, which is removed fromthe mold; the structural panel is provided for load-bearing support;steel, aluminum, and metal alloys are disclosed for the structuralinsert material.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,385 for Flexible truck skirt with floating mount byinventors Dolan, et al. filed Feb. 2, 2006 issued Mar. 30, 2010describes a skirt panel comprising a thermoplastic material andincluding a plurality of panel sections each having one or more ribs onits exterior; the skirt panel is mounted to the vehicle so that itprojects below the side of the vehicle, and the skirt panel can move toallow for thermal expansion and contraction without deforming it; one ormore struts are mounted between the vehicle and a lower portion of theskirt panel, and the strut is adjustable and deformable to absorb animpact to the exterior of the skirt panel; preferably the strut is madeof aluminum and is of sufficiently light gauge so that it is bendable byhand.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,221,668 discloses a pickup truck bed box two outer skinsand an expandable low density foam plastic therebetween, which embedstwo steel wire mesh grid reinforcements made of a welded meshconfiguration. Also disclosed are metal wire reinforcements or insertsembedded into polyolefin material; other insert materials are disclosed,such as load rails, pre-formed foam cores, fiberglass mesh, wood, andlow density stones.

US Patent Application Pub. No. 20040041429 for Composite panel andmethod of forming same by inventor McLaren filed May 22, 2003 publishedMar. 4, 2004 describes a panel for automotive vehicles wherein theassembly includes a first panel portion opposite a second panel portionand an intermediate material therebetween for liftgate truck bed liners.The panels are formed of a polymeric material and the intermediatematerial is a structured foam that can bond to the first and secondpanel portions; the panel portions are formed of steel, aluminum, iron,magnesium, titanium, and combinations thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,587 for Metal-thermoplastic-metal laminates byinventor Woodbrey filed Feb. 23, 1981 and issued May 18, 1982Lightweight metal-thermoplastic-metal laminates exhibiting an improvedcombination of good formability and bending strength comprise a corelayer of a thermoplastic material selected from certain partlycrystalline polyamides and polyesters, and a metal layer of certainaluminum alloys laminated on each side of the core layer.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,396 for Double deck plastic pallet by inventorsBreezer, et al. filed Aug. 5, 1991 and issued Mar. 30, 1993 is directedto a plastic pallet has a twin sheet thermoformed upper deck reinforcedwith a tubular metal substrate.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,757 for Composite panel and method of forming byinventors McLaren, et al. filed May 22, 2003 and issued Jan. 24, 2006discloses a bed of a pickup truck comprising inner and outer panelportions formed of a material selected from metal, such as aluminum, ora high strength thermoplastic, such as polyolefin, wherein theintermediate material is a reinforcing foam.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,098 for Acoustic device by inventors Azima, et al.filed Mar. 7, 2005 and issued Mar. 20, 2007 discloses a honeycomb metalor paper core and reinforced thermoplastic or metal skins.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,973 for Wire reinforced thermoplastic coating byinventor Tunis filed Dec. 10, 2003 and issued Apr. 10, 2007 is directedto a structural reinforcing layer made from wire, a structuralreinforcing composite layer made from wire, and the resulting loadbearing structures made from or retrofitted with wire reinforcedplastics and cements; the reinforcing layer may be molded into a loadbearing structure, such as a truck body or floor.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,264 for Cargo bed structure comprising fiberreinforced polymer inserts by inventor Solomon filed May 2, 2007 andissued Aug. 18, 2009 is directed to a cargo bed structure with asub-floor assembly and comprising a plurality of interlocking fiberreinforced polymer decking planks. The fiber reinforced polymerstructure may include a panel with upper and lower skins and a coretherebetween, wherein the core materials may include wood, foam, orvarious types of honeycomb.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,128,159 for Lightweight hybrid material truck beds byinventors Seksaria and Long filed Sep. 13, 2010 and issued Mar. 6, 2012is directed to a truck hood including a metal hood skin and a supportingframe including polymer and aluminum reinforcements; the polymerreinforcement comprises thermoplastic or thermoset sheets or pellets.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,567 for Vehicle armor by inventors Luter, et al.filed Apr. 28, 2011 and issued Apr. 9, 2013 discloses vehicle armorincluding a first layer forming an interior bottom surface of the cabinand comprised of a high-strength metal material, a second layer formingan exterior bottom surface of the cabin and comprised of a high-strengthmetal material, and, a middle layer sandwiched between the first andsecond layers and comprised of a polymer material. The middle layer iscomprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting ofa polypropylene thermoplastic composite or a glass fiber reinforcedthermoplastic composite.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,469 for Plastic pallet with twin-sheet deck andrunner structures by inventor Shuert filed Mar. 9, 2011 and issued Apr.23, 2013 discloses a reinforced plastic pallet comprises a twin sheetdeck structure, and a frame of reinforcing beams is encapsulated intothe interior space of the upper deck. The frame may be made of steel,aluminum or any other suitable rigid material including composites.

PCT WO1997010396 for Thermoplastic floor planks by inventors Bongartzand Neven filed Sep. 11, 1995 and issued Mar. 20, 1997 is directed to afloor plank made of a thermoplastic material, and discloses a foamedthermoplastic/thermoset material that can be reinforced with metaltubes.

Nowhere does the prior art teach or disclose the solutions provided bythe present invention. Thus, there remains a longstanding and unmet needfor providing a reinforced modular assembly for utility truck beds asdescribed in this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an assembly for utility truck bodiesand methods of making and using them.

It is an object of this invention to provide an assembly for utilitytruck bodies, wherein the assembly includes junctions, and includesmetal and/or composite reinforcement(s) encapsulated within athermoformed thermoplastic, a fiber reinforced thermoplastic, orthermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset floor structure of the assemblyor other composite floor structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide an assembly for utilitytruck bodies further including wall and storage compartment panelcomponents having minimal welding and/or permanent adhesive. The walland storage compartment panel components further being constructed andconfigured for modular attachment to the floor.

It is an object of this invention to provide an assembly for utilitytruck bodies that is fully integral, wherein the floor is integral withthe reinforcement system, the sidepack compartments are integral, andthe floor is integral with the sidepack, thus forming a unitaryassembly.

It is an object of this invention to reduce utility truck drag and noiseby providing utility truck sidepacks with aerodynamic features. Thesefeatures may be joined to the utility truck by removable or permanentmeans or thermoformed.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a utility truck bodyhaving an assembly including metal and/or composite reinforcement(s)encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, a fiber reinforcedthermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset floorstructure of the assembly or other composite floor structure andselectively including modular releasably attachable side storagecompartments connected to the utility truck bed reinforced floor.

Additionally, variations and alternative embodiments are provided in thedetailed description, and are properly considered to be included withinthe scope of the present invention.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art after a reading of the following description ofthe preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings, as theysupport the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagram of one embodiment of the presentinvention showing the full sidepack modular assembly of the utilitytruck.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram of a sidepack storage compartment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of a cross section of thermoplastic withmetal reinforcement.

FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram of a cross section of thermoset withmetal reinforcement.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective diagram of a thermoplastic floor withmetal reinforcement exposed.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective diagram of thermoplastic floor with metalreinforcement exposed.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective diagram of thermoplastic floor with metalreinforcement exposed.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective diagram of a floor.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective diagram of a floor.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a continuous fiber reinforcement inthermoplastic or thermoset.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a discontinuous fiber reinforcement inthermoplastic or thermoset.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a particle fiber reinforcement in thermoplasticor thermoset.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a fabric, braided fiber reinforcement inthermoplastic or thermoset.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a foam core between thermoplastic or thermosetskins.

FIG. 15 is a diagram of a honeycomb between thermoplastic or thermosetskins.

FIG. 16 is a diagram of a wood reinforcement between thermoplastic orthermoset skins.

FIG. 17 is a diagram of a utility truck body with aerodynamic fairings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for thepurpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and arenot intended to limit the invention thereto.

Truck body in this application includes at least components for thefloor, and at least one sidepack having at least one storagecompartment. More specifically, the term “truck body” as used in thisspecification to describe the invention is defined as a structure thatmounts to the truck chassis frame rails behind a passenger cabin andincludes a floor and at least one sidepack that is constructed andconfigured to function as a sidewall to the truck bed floor; eachsidepack includes at least one storage compartment, which providesstorage space.

A truck bed is defined as the portion of the truck body that attaches tothe truck chassis frame rails and includes a surface that spans at leastthe distance between the chassis frame rails, i.e., the truck bodyincludes a truck bed assembly and at least one sidepack assembly. Thepresent invention provides an assembly for utility truck beds forproviding lightweight, reinforced flooring with removably or permanentlyattachable components that are formed of lightweight, high strengthmaterials, wherein the reinforced flooring includes metal and/orcomposite reinforcement(s) encapsulated within a thermoformedthermoplastic, a fiber reinforced thermoplastic, or thermoset orfiber-reinforced thermoset floor structure or other composite floorstructure. Material properties of the floor are selected from the groupconsisting of: electrically non-conductive, non-slip, non-reflective,flame-resistant, solvent-resistant and combinations thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the sidepack is a fully integral unit thatalso functions as a truck body wall reinforcement, such as shown inFIGS. 1-2. This embodiment removes the requirement for components to beassembled or connected for construction. Alternatively, the sidepack mayconsist of a shell and modular storage compartments 3 that arere-configurable within the shell. In another embodiment, the removablyattachable modular components include sidepacks that also function astruck body wall reinforcement; in preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, a plurality of modular panels are removably attached to eachother to form a sidepack. Alternatively, modular panels may bepermanently attached to each other to form a sidepack. Also,alternatively, the sidepack may be formed from components or structuresthat are larger than each of the modular panels, i.e., each of the atleast one storage compartments may be thermoformed, and removably orpermanently attached to each other to form a sidepack.

In other embodiments of the present invention, modular panels areremovably attached to each other by mechanical fasteners. Modularjunctions of the assembly of the present invention include wall,sidepack(s), and/or storage compartment panel components; mechanicalfasteners are provided for removably attaching the wall, sidepack(s),and/or storage compartment panel components with the floor section andbody of the assembly. Preferably, the sidepacks having storagecompartments are formed from modular components or panels that areconnectable or attachable using mechanical fasteners, such as bolts,rivnuts, tracks, etc., which allows for removable attachment to theoverall truck body assembly of the present invention. A sidepack storagecompartment is shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, modular panels may bepermanently attached by welding or chemical bonding, adhesives, etc. Inthe alternate embodiments of structures larger than single panelsdescribed in the foregoing, removable attachment may be by mechanicalfasteners and permanent attachment may be by welding or chemicalbonding, adhesives, etc.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, modular or integralcomponents, and in particular, the modular sidepack panels aremanufactured out of a thermoplastic olefin material that is formed tothe desired shape and configuration in a process of twin sheetthermoforming. The components may also be formed of a stiff compositematerial. In one embodiment, thermoplastic olefins are used forproviding a lightweight, strong assembly. The truck body flooring andsidepack(s) are formed from a thermoplastic material, and preferably notthermoset. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, atwin-sheet thermoforming process is used, having reduced costs formanufacturing and increased strength and stiffness of the components. Inalternative embodiments, any type of reinforced or unreinforcedthermoplastic and any type of thermoforming process, or otherthermoplastic manufacturing process, such as injection molding,rotational molding, etc. may be used in the construction of the modularsidepack panels (or integral sidepacks). The thermoplastic componentsand the truck body assembly formed thereof provide an assembly formedfrom removable or removably attachable or permanently attached,lightweight, high strength components. Any fiber architecture may beused, but continuous fiber reinforcement, discontinuous fiberreinforcement, particle fiber reinforcement, and fabric braided fiberreinforcement for both thermoset 9 and thermoplastic 8 are shown inFIGS. 10-13, respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, the sidepack structure is divided intosmaller storage compartments, like that shown in FIG. 2, that aredesigned, constructed and configured to be waterproof or watertight toprotect equipment and/or any items that are stored inside them.Waterproof seals are provided at the interfaces, such as by way ofexample and not limitation, between the door 1 and storage compartment 3or between modular panels, and more preferably, at any joint or opening.

Regarding the doors, in a preferred embodiment, the doors 1 areremovably attached to the sidepack(s) by means of a hinge 2, which maybe constructed from metal, or other suitable material. Alternatively thedoors may be thermoformed with a “living hinge” built in. A living hingeis a thin flexible hinge that is molded into the door itself so thehinge and the door are one component made from the same material.Alternatively it may be possible to mold the doors into the front faceof the sidepack(s) with a living hinge incorporated into the design. Ifthis method were used, it would not be necessary to attach the doors tothe sidepack(s) because they would already be attached to the front faceof the sidepack(s). In yet another alternative, the doors may bepermanently attached. In another embodiment, the sidepack storagecompartments 3 may have more than one door 1, for example, one facinginto the truck bed and one facing away from the truck. This embodimentwould allow supply acquisition from inside the truck bed, which may beparticularly useful for truck beds supporting boom and lifts among othersituations.

Also, regarding the doors, in a preferred embodiment, the doors aremanufactured out of a thermoplastic olefin material that is formed tothe desired shape in a process called twin sheet thermoforming (methodsdescribed in the specification). Alternatively any type of reinforced orunreinforced thermoplastic 8 may be substituted for thermoplastic olefinin the construction of a door. Furthermore, any type of thermoforming orother thermoplastic manufacturing process such as injection molding,rotational molding, etc. may be used to form a door. Furthermore, in analternative embodiment, the doors are manufactured out of a thermoset 9or reinforced thermoset that may or may not include a foam core 7 and/orhoneycomb core 11 and/or wood core 12, which are shown in FIGS. 14, 15,and 16, respectively. The doors may be manufactured out of thermosetthrough any of these methods: compression molding using sheet moldingcompound; compression molding using bulk molding compound; resintransfer molding; light resin transfer molding; vacuum infusion; chopspray; and hand layup. The thermoset door may also include pultrudedfiber reinforced components.

Material selection and the geometry used within a component stronglyinfluence the strength and stiffness of that component. By usingstrategic geometries such as sandwich structures and twin sheetthermoformed kiss-off locations it is possible to use reinforced orunreinforced polymers to create truck bodies that are less expensive,lighter, stronger, and stiffer than truck bodies made out of Steel andAluminum. Reinforced thermoset polymers combined with relatively thickand light weight core materials in the form of a sandwich structurecreate a very stiff yet light weight component due to the distancebetween the skin sheets, the high shear strength between the skin sheetsand the core, and the high tensile and compressive strengths of the skinsheets. Thermoplastic components manufactured in a Twin SheetThermoforming process contain two plastic sheets that are separated byan air gap with the exception of small periodic “kiss-off” locationswhere the two plastic sheets are joined via plastic-welding. The air gapbetween the majority of the two plastic sheets is at least twice thethickness of an individual plastic sheet. The distance between the twoplastic sheets allows the high shear strength kiss-off locations toresist most of the bending forces applied to the structure. It ispossible to fully encapsulate stiffening members between the two plasticsheets for use in applications where additional stiffness is required.Traditional materials, such as Steel, are used to produce heavy,low-cost, truck bodies. Aluminum truck bodies are lighter than steeltruck bodies, but they are the most expensive. Fiberglass reinforcedthermoset composites are currently used to produce truck bodies but themanufacturing methods and material combinations that are currently usedneed improvement. This invention teaches novel material combinations andmanufacturing methods to produce bodies made out of thermoset polymerand/or thermoplastic polymer that may or may not include reinforcement.The material combinations and strategic geometries taught in thisinvention provide highly stiff, minimally flexible characteristics anddescribe the following: Truck bed floor that deflects less than ⅛th ofan inch when 1.4 psi is applied to the entire truck bed floor when theentire truck bed weighs less than 0.030 lbs per square inch of truck bedfloor; and sidepack floor that deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when0.14 psi is applied to the entire sidepack floor when the sidepack floorweighs less than 0.015 lbs per square inch.

Regarding the truck bed as shown in FIGS. 5-9, in one embodiment, thetruck bed assembly includes a walking surface floor 6 and externalaluminum cross members 5 underneath the walking surface floor, which ismade of a thermoplastic olefin material that is formed to the desired,predetermined shape and size in a process of twin sheet thermoforming.In an alternative embodiment having a thermoplastic flooring option, anytype of reinforced or unreinforced thermoplastic, such as continuousfiber, discontinuous fiber, particle fiber, or fabric braided fiberreinforcement (FIGS. 10-13), may be substituted for thermoplastic olefinin the construction of the walking surface of the floor; and any type ofthermoforming or other thermoplastic manufacturing process such asinjection molding, rotational molding, etc. may be used to manufacturethe walking surface of the floor. In an alternative embodiment having athermoset flooring option, walking surface of the floor assembly may bemade out of a fiber-reinforced thermoset or an unreinforced thermosetsuch as DCPD. It is more likely that a fiber-reinforced thermoset willbe used if this option is pursued. Unreinforced thermoset materials arenot very common at the time of the present invention, but they maybecome more common in the future. The thermoset floor option may bemanufactured through any of these methods: compression molding usingsheet molding compound; compression molding using bulk molding compound;resin transfer molding; light resin transfer molding; vacuum infusion;chop spray; and hand layup. The thermoset floor option can also bemanufactured by adhering pultruded components together. A cross sectionmetal reinforcement within a thermoset is shown in FIG. 4.

Also, in the floor assembly in a preferred embodiment, at least onereinforcement is provided; by way of example and not limitation,aluminum framing or tubing is encapsulated within the thermoformed floorassembly for providing a reinforced walking surface with additionalstrength. A cross section of metal reinforcement within a thermoformedfloor is shown in FIG. 3. In an alternative embodiment, afiber-reinforced thermoset floor is provided that may or may not includeadditional reinforcement encapsulated within. In alternative embodimentsthat include additional reinforcement encapsulated within, acceptableadditional reinforcement materials are selected from foam, reinforced orunreinforced thermoplastic, metal, and combinations thereof. In thepreferred embodiment, at least one external reinforcement is provided,external aluminum cross-member 5 elements are removably attached (ornon-permanently attached) to the bottom of the walking surface floor bymeans of mechanical fasteners such as bolts, rivnuts, tracks, etc.Alternatively, the external aluminum cross-member 5 elements may beremovably attached via fasteners, or permanently attached to the bottomof the walking surface floor 6 by means of welding, chemical bonding, oradhesive. In an alternative to the preferred aluminum cross-memberelements, any type of suitable metal or fiber-reinforced thermoset maybe used. In the preferred embodiment, external aluminum cross-member 5elements extend beyond the sides of the walking surface floor of thetruck bed assembly, and function as a supporting ledge for thesidepack(s) to rest on without being affixed thereto. Note that thealuminum cross-members and the walking surface floor make up the truckbed assembly as shown in FIGS. 10-13. In the preferred embodiment, thesidepack(s) are removably attached to the aluminum cross-member 5elements by mechanical fasteners or are alternatively permanentlyattached to the aluminum cross members by welding or chemical bonding,or adhesive. In another preferred embodiment, the floor ledges areintegrally formed with the sidepack(s).

In one embodiment, a small aerial truck body assembly is provided,including modular components having a truck bed section and at least onesidepack or side storage compartment that functions as truck wallsand/or truck wall reinforcement while also providing storage space.Also, minimal welding and/or permanent adhesive is used for the modularassembly connection, thereby providing maximum removable attachment andselective detachment of the modular components that together form theoverall truck body assembly of the present invention. The truck bedsection includes a walking surface floor component that further includesmetal and/or composite material framing to reinforce the thermoplastic 8walking surface floor, as shown in FIGS. 4-9; preferably, an aluminumreinforcement framing is encapsulated within the thermoplastic 8material forming the walking surface floor section. The framingfunctions to provide reinforcement for supporting the weight of at leastone human body in addition to load or cargo within the truck bodyassembly. Preferably, the assembly and in particular the floor sectionis designed, constructed and configured to hold at least between about750 lbs and about 1500 lbs per 2 ft×3 ft area. In another embodiment,the assembly is designed constructed and configured to hold at leastabout 1500 lbs per 2 ft×3 ft. Alternative to framing, metal and/orcomposite material tubing may be used to reinforce the thermoplastic 8walking surface floor. Framing is a support that does not contain a borethrough the long axis, while tubing is a support that does.

In the twin-sheet thermoforming process used in a preferred embodimentof the present invention, the method includes the following steps:providing aluminum framing/tubing reinforcement components andthermoplastic material for surrounding and enclosing the aluminumframing/tubing reinforcement; and heating and processing thethermoplastic material to form the modular assembly components,including at least a floor section with the aluminum framingreinforcement. The aluminum frames/tubes encapsulated inside thethermoplastic floor provide increased load-bearing strength.

Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO) twin sheet thermoformed materials are used inpreferred embodiments of the present invention. In preferred embodimentsof the present invention, the modular components of the assembly,including but not limited to the side packs, side storage compartments,doors, and floor section are formed from TPO. Beneficially, the TPOmaterial combined with the twin sheet thermoforming process yieldssatisfactory strength at a much lower weight than prior art materials orassemblies, including all modular components.

Also, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, the floorsection includes metal and/or composite reinforcements, such as thoseshown in FIGS. 10-13, encapsulated inside of the TPO twin sheetthermoformed structure for providing high strength and load-bearing,while maintaining a lightweight overall component structure andassembly. In one embodiment, aluminum reinforcements, like those shownin FIGS. 3 and 4, are used for light weight, high strength.

Thermoforming also beneficially reduces manufacturing time overtraditional truck body manufacturing methods. Manufacturing time isreduced in methods for making the modular assembly of the presentinvention due to the “all in one” thermoforming process. Nowhere in theprior art for truck body flooring sections is it taught to encapsulatealuminum framing within a plastic twin sheet floor section with athermoforming process. By contrast to the present invention, competitiveproducts and prior art known provides flooring formed of metal, such assteel or aluminum or metal alloy to provide satisfactory strength andload support.

Alternatively, other suitable materials and methods of manufacturing maybe used. By way of example, but not limitation, the assembly may includemetal and/or composite reinforcement(s) encapsulated within athermoformed thermoplastic 8, a fiber reinforced thermoplastic, orthermoset 9 or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floorstructure that is part of the truck bed assembly. The selection ofmaterials and corresponding methods of making will depend upon the useof the assembly, the components, and requirements for each use.

In another embodiment of the present invention, other materials may beused as an alternative or addition to the thermoplastic materials asdescribed hereinabove. By way of definition for this application, thethermoplastic polymer chains are linear, not cross-linked. TPO andPolypropylene copolymer are examples of a material suitable for theembodiments described herein. Other materials may be selected from athermoplastic, a fiber reinforced thermoplastic, a thermoset 9 or afiber-reinforced thermoset. Similarly, for the thermoforming process thefollowing basic steps are included: at least one large plastic sheet isheated; pressure and/or vacuum are used to force the flexible plasticsheet against a tool surface for forming the shape of each component;and the final component thickness formed is typically about ½ to about⅓rd the starting gauge thickness.

Advantageously, as shown in FIG. 17, the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention provide for aerodynamic fairings 13 that reduce formdrag and wind noise are either removably attached to the front of thesidepack(s), just behind the passenger cabin, or to the rear of thesidepack by mechanical fasteners, as set forth in the foregoing, or arepermanently attached to the front of the sidepack(s), just behind thepassenger cabin, or to the rear of the sidepack by welding or chemicalbonds. Alternatively, the fairings 13 may be molded into the front areaof the sidepack(s) or rear area of the sidepacks; no joining isnecessary with this approach because the front or back of thesidepack(s) and the aerodynamic fairing 13 is provided as a singlecomponent creating an aerodynamic sidepack.

In preferred embodiments, the aerodynamic fairings are manufactured outof a thermoplastic olefin material that is formed to the desired,predetermined shape in a process of twin sheet thermoforming. Inalternative embodiments, any suitable type of reinforced or unreinforcedthermoplastic may be substituted for thermoplastic olefin in theconstruction of aerodynamic fairings. Furthermore, any type ofthermoforming or other thermoplastic manufacturing process such asinjection molding, rotational molding, etc. may be used to form theaerodynamic fairings. Also, in preferred embodiments, a slight curve isincorporated into the sidepack(s) to further reduce form drag and windnoise while the vehicle is operating or being driven. The curve may beany form that reduces drag and wind noise. A preferred embodiment of thecurve is a taper, wherein the curve begins at the sidepack nearest thepassenger cabin and tapers toward the rear of the sidepack.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the foregoing description. By way of exampleand not limitation, one modification may include adding golf-ball-likedimples 14 to the fairings or body to increase skin friction drag andfurther reduce form drag and wind noise. The above-mentioned examplesare provided to serve the purpose of clarifying the aspects of theinvention and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that they donot serve to limit the scope of the invention. All modifications andimprovements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness andreadability but are properly within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sidepack for a utility truck, comprising: aunitary, integral sidepack body and at least one storage compartmentwith a hinge and a door; wherein the at least one storage compartment isintegral with the sidepack body; wherein the sidepack body includes asidepack floor; wherein the sidepack floor comprises an aluminumreinforcement sandwiched and encapsulated within twin sheets ofthermoformed thermoplastic formed by twin sheet thermoforming, andwherein the sidepack floor deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 0.14psi is applied to the sidepack floor when the sidepack floor weighs lessthan 0.015 lbs per square inch.
 2. The sidepack of claim 1, wherein thehinge and door are integral with the sidepack body and wherein the hingeis a living hinge.
 3. The sidepack of claim 1, wherein the properties ofthe material are selected from the group consisting of: non-slip,flame-resistant, high specific strength and stiffness, corrosionresistant, recyclable, low cost, solvent-resistant and combinationsthereof.
 4. The sidepack of claim 1 wherein the material furtherincludes reinforcements selected from the group consisting of metalreinforcement, fiber reinforcement, foam reinforcement, honeycombreinforcement, wood reinforcement and combinations thereof.
 5. Thesidepack of claim 1, further including an aerodynamic feature integralwith the body.
 6. The sidepack of claim 5, wherein the aerodynamicfeature is selected from the group consisting of fairings,turbulence-producing surface textures, at least one curve andcombinations thereof.
 7. The sidepack of claim 6, wherein the at leastone curve is tapered from just behind the passenger cabin to the rear ofthe truck bed.
 8. The sidepack of claim 6, wherein theturbulence-producing surface textures further provide a non-slipsurface.
 9. The sidepack of claim 1, wherein the twin sheets are plasticwelded together at kiss-off locations and the air gap between the twoplastic sheets is at least twice the thickness of an individual plasticsheet.
 10. The sidepack of claim 1, wherein the twin sheets are linearpolymer chain plastic.
 11. A truck bed, comprising: a reinforcementsystem; a floor covering; wherein the reinforcement system forms atleast one extension beyond the boundary of the floor covering; whereinthe truck bed comprises an aluminum reinforcement sandwiched andencapsulated within twin sheets of thermoformed thermoplastic formed bytwin sheet thermoforming, and wherein the truck bed deflects less than⅛th of an inch when 1.4 psi is applied to the truck bed floor when thetruck bed weighs less than 0.030 lbs per square inch.
 12. The truck bedof claim 11, wherein the material properties of the floor covering areselected from the group consisting of: non-slip, flame-resistant, highspecific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistant, recyclable, lowcost, solvent-resistant and combinations thereof.
 13. The truck bed ofclaim 11, wherein the thermoplastic is fiber-reinforced.
 14. The truckbed of claim 11, wherein the reinforcement system is selected from thegroup consisting of metal reinforcement, fiber reinforcement, foamreinforcement, honeycomb reinforcement, wood reinforcement andcombinations thereof.
 15. The truck bed of claim 11, wherein the atleast one extension is shaped to support a sidepack.
 16. The truck bedof claim 11, wherein the twin sheets are plastic welded together atkiss-off locations and the air gap between the two plastic sheets is atleast twice the thickness of an individual plastic sheet.
 17. The truckbed of claim 11, wherein the thermoplastic sheets are linear polymerchain plastic.
 18. The truck bed of claim 11, wherein the truck bedsupports at least about 1500 lbs. per 2 ft.×3 ft. area.
 19. A utilitytruck body, comprising: a truck bed and at least one sidepack; whereinthe truck bed comprises a reinforcement system and a floor covering;wherein the reinforcement system forms at least one extension beyond theboundary of the floor covering; wherein the at least one sidepackcomprises a unitary, integral sidepack body and at least one storagecompartment with a hinge and a door; wherein the at least one storagecompartment is integral with the sidepack body; wherein the at least onesidepack and the truck bed are integrally constructed; and wherein theat least one sidepack and the truck bed comprise an aluminumreinforcement sandwiched and encapsulated within twin sheets ofthermoformed thermoplastic formed by twin sheet thermoforming, whereinthe truck bed deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 1.4 psi is appliedto the truck bed floor when the truck bed weighs less than 0.030 lbs persquare inch; wherein the truck bed supports at least about 1500 lbs per2 ft.×3 ft. area, and wherein the at least one sidepack is attached tothe truck bed floor with rivnuts.
 20. The utility truck body of claim19, wherein material properties of the floor covering are selected fromthe group consisting of: non-slip, flame-resistant, high specificstrength and stiffness, corrosion resistant, recyclable, low cost,solvent-resistant and combinations thereof.
 21. The utility truck bodyof claim 19, wherein the thermoplastic is fiber-reinforced.
 22. Theutility truck body of claim 19, wherein the thermoset isfiber-reinforced.
 23. The utility truck body of claim 19, wherein thereinforcement system is selected from the group consisting of metalreinforcement, fiber reinforcement, foam reinforcement, honeycombreinforcement, wood reinforcements and combinations thereof.
 24. Theutility truck body of claim 19, wherein the at least one extension isshaped to support the at least one sidepack.
 25. The utility truck bodyof claim 19, wherein the hinge and door are integral with the unitary,integral sidepack body and wherein the hinge is a living hinge.
 26. Theutility truck body of claim 19, wherein the at least one sidepackfurther includes a reinforcement selected from the group consisting ofmetal and thermoset plastic.
 27. The utility truck body of claim 19wherein the floor covering further includes fiber reinforcement.
 28. Theutility truck body of claim 19, further including an aerodynamic featureintegral with the truck body.
 29. The utility truck body of claim 28,wherein the aerodynamic feature is selected from the group consisting offairings, turbulence-producing surface textures, at least one curve andcombinations thereof.
 30. The utility truck body of claim 29, whereinthe at least one curve is tapered from the front to rear of the truckbed.
 31. The utility truck body of claim 29, wherein the turbulenceproducing surface texture further provides a non-slip surface.
 32. Thetruck body of claim 19, wherein the twin sheets are plastic weldedtogether at periodic kiss-off locations and the air gap between the twoplastic sheets is at least twice the thickness of an individual plasticsheet.
 33. The truck body of claim 19, wherein the thermoplastic sheetsare linear polymer chain plastic.
 34. The truck body of claim 19,wherein the truck bed supports at least about 1500 lbs. per 2 ft.×3 ft.area.
 35. The truck body of claim 19, wherein the sidepack floordeflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 0.14 psi is applied to the entiresidepack floor when the sidepack floor weighs less than 0.015 lbs persquare inch.
 36. A utility truck, comprising: a truck body with a truckbed and at least one sidepack; wherein the truck bed comprises areinforcement system and a floor covering; wherein the reinforcementsystem forms at least one extension beyond the boundary of the floorcovering; wherein the at least one sidepack comprises a unitary,integral sidepack body and at least one storage compartment with a hingeand a door; wherein the at least one storage compartment is integralwith the sidepack body; wherein the at least one sidepack and bed areintegrally constructed; wherein the truck bed comprises an aluminumreinforcement sandwiched and encapsulated within twin sheets ofthermoformed thermoplastic formed by twin sheet thermoforming, andwherein the truck bed deflects less than ⅛th of an inch when 1.4 psi isapplied to the truck bed floor when the truck bed weighs less than 0.030lbs per square inch; wherein the truck bed supports at least about 1500lbs per 2 ft.×3 ft. area, and wherein the at least one sidepack isattached to the truck bed floor with rivnuts.
 37. The utility truck ofclaim 36, wherein the thermoplastic is fiber-reinforced.
 38. The utilitytruck as in claim 36, wherein the floor covering is a fiber-reinforced,thermoset plastic.
 39. The utility truck of claim 36, wherein thereinforcement system is selected from the group consisting of metalreinforcement, thermoset reinforcement, foam reinforcement, honeycombreinforcement, wood reinforcement and combinations thereof.
 40. Theutility truck as in claim 36, wherein the at least one extension isshaped to support the at least one sidepack.
 41. The utility truck ofclaim 36, wherein the hinge and door are integral with the unitary,integral sidepack body and wherein the hinge is a living hinge.
 42. Theutility truck of claim 36, wherein the at least one sidepack furtherincludes a reinforcement selected from the group consisting of a metal,a thermoset and combinations thereof.
 43. The utility truck of claim 36,wherein the truck body is formed from material selected from the groupconsisting of thermoplastics, thermosets and combinations thereof. 44.The utility truck of claim 36, wherein the truck body materialproperties are selected from the group consisting of: non-slip,flame-resistant, high specific strength and stiffness and stiffness,corrosion resistant, recyclable, low cost, solvent-resistant andcombinations thereof.
 45. The utility truck of claim 44 wherein thematerial further includes fiber reinforcement.
 46. The utility truck ofclaim 36, further including an aerodynamic feature integral with thetruck body.
 47. The utility truck of claim 46, wherein the aerodynamicfeature is selected from the group consisting of fairings,turbulence-producing surface textures, curves and combinations thereof.48. The utility truck of claim 47, wherein the at least one curve istapered from the front to the rear of the truck bed.
 49. The utilitytruck of claim 47, wherein the turbulence producing surface texturesfurther provides a non-slip surface.